Family Factors
5. Exploring Relative Academic Progress between Year 6 and Year
5.3. Exploring the Effects of School and Teaching Processes on Academic Progress during KS
The following factors that were tested as separate predictors of the Year 9 academic attainment were also tested in order to establish their significance in predicting students’ academic progress during KS3 (see Section 4.1):
Emphasis on learning Behaviour climate Headteacher School environment Valuing pupils School/Learning resources
Teacher behavioural management
Teacher support
For progress in each core curriculum subject, a number of the school factors were found to be statistically significant predictors of progress across KS3. Originally, the items that entered in the composition of any of the factors were Likert type scale that went from (1) strongly agree to (4) strongly disagree. These were reversed in order to make the interpretation easier. The factors were treated as continuous measures and were centred to the grand mean. Only the factors that were statistically significant predictors of academic progress are presented.
The academic progress in English was significantly predicted by ‘emphasis on learning’, ‘behaviour climate’, ‘valuing pupils’ and ‘teacher support’, although the effects sizes were weak and found to be significant mostly for the original sample (between 0.14 and 0.17 for the original sample or between 0.08 and 0.15 for the imputed sample). Students from secondary schools where they perceived a stronger emphasis on learning, a positive behaviour climate and teachers valuing the students and providing support to their students made significantly more progress in English during KS3. Interestingly, ‘valuing pupils and ‘teacher support’ were not statistically significant predictors of English TA levels; however, they were important and significant factors in predicting academic progress in English.
Table 5.15: Contextualised Value Added Models for English Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Emphasis on Learning (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 English TA Original Data
Year 9 English TA Imputed Data STATA ICE31
Number of students 1396 2632
Number of schools 380 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Emphasis on Learning (continuous) 0.26 0.11 0.14 * 0.26 0.13 0.13
% Reduction school variance 91% 90%
% Reduction student variance 60% 52%
% Reduction total variance 67% 62% * p <0.05
31These analyses are based on a further imputation model that incorporated additional measures of students’
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Table 5.16: Contextualised Value Added Models for English Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Behaviour Climate (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 English TA Original Data
Year 9 English TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1396 2632
Number of schools 380 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Behaviour Climate (continuous) 0.13 0.05 0.15 * 0.14 0.06 0.15 *
% Reduction school variance 91% 90%
% Reduction student variance 60% 52%
% Reduction total variance 67% 62% * p <0.05
Table 5.17: Contextualised Value Added Models for English Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Valuing pupils (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 English TA Original Data
Year 9 English TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1397 2632
Number of schools 380 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Valuing pupils(continuous) 0.15 0.06 0.14 * 0.10 0.06 0.08
% Reduction school variance 91% 90%
% Reduction student variance 60% 52%
% Reduction total variance 67% 61% * p <0.05
Table 5.18: Contextualised Value Added Models for English Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Teacher Support (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 English TA Original Data
Year 9 English TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1375 2632
Number of schools 377 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Teacher Support(continuous) 0.17 0.06 0.17 * 0.11 0.05 0.10 *
% Reduction school variance 91% 90%
% Reduction student variance 60% 52%
% Reduction total variance 67% 62% * p <0.05
For the academic progress in maths during KS3, the following factors were found to be statistically significant: ‘emphasis on learning’, ‘behaviour climate’, ‘headteacher’, ‘school environment’, ‘valuing pupils’, ‘school/learning resources’ and ‘teacher support’ (see Table 5.19-Table 5.25). The ES ranged between 0.12 and 0.35 and most of them were statistically significant only for the original sample. Students from schools that were rated more positively for their ‘emphasis on learning’, provide a positive school ‘behaviour climate’, a pleasant environment and good ‘learning resources’ made more academic progress in maths than students from schools that were weaker in these dimensions. The factor measuring students’ views of the leadership qualities of the headteacher was also found to be statistically significant predictor for academic progress in maths, which is an interesting finding as the same qualities did not predict academic attainment in maths. Students who perceived their headteacher as interested in what they learn and actively involved in the educational processes made more progress during KS3 than students who did not perceived their headteacher having these qualities. Similarly, the factor measuring students’ views of teachers’ supportive approach significantly predicted progress, although it had not been found to be a significant predictor of differences in attainment.
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Table 5.19: Contextualised Value Added Models for Maths Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9:
Emphasis on Learning (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Maths TA Original Data
Year 9 Maths TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1416 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Emphasis on Learning (continuous) 0.38 0.11 0.19 * 0.29 0.12 0.13 *
% Reduction school variance 94% 90%
% Reduction student variance 73% 67%
% Reduction total variance 77% 72% * p <0.05
Table 5.20: Contextualised Value Added Models for Maths Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Behaviour Climate (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Maths TA Original Data
Year 9 Maths TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1416 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Behaviour Climate (continuous) 0.32 0.06 0.35 * 0.32 0.06 0.32 *
% Reduction school variance 94% 90%
% Reduction student variance 74% 67%
% Reduction total variance 77% 72% * p <0.05
Table 5.21: Contextualised Value Added Models for Maths Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Headteacher (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Maths TA Original Data
Year 9 Maths TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1415 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Headteacher (continuous) 0.12 0.05 0.15 * 0.05 0.05 0.05
% Reduction school variance 95% 90%
% Reduction student variance 73% 67%
% Reduction total variance 77% 72% * p <0.05
Table 5.22: Contextualised Value Added Models for Maths Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: School Environment (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Maths TA Original Data
Year 9 Maths TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1417 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
School Environment (continuous) 0.16 0.08 0.12 * 0.07 0.09 0.05
% Reduction school variance 94% 90%
% Reduction student variance 73% 67%
% Reduction total variance 77% 72% * p <0.05
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Table 5.23: Contextualised Value Added Models for Maths Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Valuing pupils (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Maths TA Original Data
Year 9 Maths TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1417 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Valuing pupils(continuous) 0.25 0.07 0.21 * 0.17 0.07 0.12 *
% Reduction school variance 94% 90%
% Reduction student variance 73% 67%
% Reduction total variance 77% 72% * p <0.05
Table 5.24: Contextualised Value Added Models for Maths Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Learning Resources (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Maths TA Original Data
Year 9 Maths TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1417 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Learning Resources (continuous) 0.38 0.13 0.17 * 0.21 0.15 0.9
% Reduction school variance 94% 90%
% Reduction student variance 73% 67%
% Reduction total variance 77% 72% * p <0.05
Table 5.25: Contextualised Value Added Models for Maths Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Teacher Support (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Maths TA Original Data
Year 9 Maths TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1395 2632
Number of schools 379 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Teacher Support (continuous) 0.19 0.06 0.18 * 0.09 0.07 0.07
% Reduction school variance 94% 90%
% Reduction student variance 73% 67%
% Reduction total variance 77% 72% * p <0.05
Students’ academic progress in science was significantly predicted by ‘emphasis on learning’, ‘behaviour climate’, ‘school environment’, ‘valuing pupils’ , ‘learning resources’, ‘teacher discipline’ and ‘teacher support’. The ES were modest and statistically significant mostly for the original sample (between 0.14 and 0.21 for the original sample or between 0.04 and 0.10 for the imputed sample).
Students, who perceived that their secondary school placed a stronger ‘emphasis on learning’, provided a positive ‘behaviour climate’, a pleasant physical environment and good learning resources made significantly more progress in science during KS3. Moreover, students who perceived that their teachers value and support them also made significantly more progress in science. The factor related to ‘teacher behavioural management’ was also identified as a significant predictor of academic progress in science during KS3.This school factor was not significant in predicting Year 9 academic attainment in any of the subjects. These results suggest that while teachers’ behaviours are not always statistically significantly associated with attainment, they may be more important in predicting academic progress.
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Table 5.26: Contextualised Value Added Models for Science Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Emphasis on Learning (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Science TA Original Data
Year 9 Science TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1403 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Emphasis on Learning (continuous) 0.32 0.12 0.16 * 0.17 0.12 0.08
% Reduction school variance 89% 91%
% Reduction student variance 55% 47%
% Reduction total variance 63% 57% * p <0.05
Table 5.27: Contextualised Value Added Models for Science Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Behaviour Climate (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Science TA Original Data
Year 9 Science TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1403 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Behaviour Climate (continuous) 0.19 0.06 0.21 * 0.23 0.07 0.10 *
% Reduction school variance 90% 90%
% Reduction student variance 55% 47%
% Reduction total variance 63% 57% * p <0.05
Table 5.28: Contextualised Value Added Models for Science Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: School Environment (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Science TA Original Data
Year 9 Science TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1404 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
School Environment (continuous) 0.20 0.08 0.15 * 0.08 0.09 0.06
% Reduction school variance 89% 90%
% Reduction student variance 55% 47%
% Reduction total variance 63% 57% * p <0.05
Table 5.29: Contextualised Value Added Models for Science Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Valuing pupils (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Science TA Original Data
Year 9 Science TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1404 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Valuing pupils(continuous) 0.26 0.07 0.21 * 0.13 0.07 0.10
% Reduction school variance 89% 90%
% Reduction student variance 55% 47%
% Reduction total variance 63% 57% * p <0.05
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Table 5.30: Contextualised Value Added Models for Science Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Learning Resources (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Science TA Original Data
Year 9 Science TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1404 2632
Number of schools 382 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Learning Resources (continuous) 0.42 0.13 0.19 * 0.23 0.13 0.09
% Reduction school variance 89% 90%
% Reduction student variance 55% 47%
% Reduction total variance 63% 57% * p <0.05
Table 5.31: Contextualised Value Added Models for Science Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Teacher Behavioural Management (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Science TA Original Data
Year 9 Science TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1380 2632
Number of schools 378 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Teacher Behavioural Management ( (continuous) 0.28 0.11 0.14 * 0.12 0.12 0.05
% Reduction school variance 91% 90%
% Reduction student variance 54% 47%
% Reduction total variance 63% 57% * p <0.05
Table 5.32: Contextualised Value Added Models for Science Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Teacher Support (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Science TA Original Data
Year 9 Science TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 1382 2632
Number of schools 379 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Teacher Support (continuous) 0.18 0.06 0.17 * 0.05 0.08 0.04
% Reduction school variance 89% 90%
% Reduction student variance 56% 47%
% Reduction total variance 64% 57% * p <0.05
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5.3.1. Time Spent on Homework
As shown in section 4.2, students’ self-reports of time spent on homework was positively linked to higher TA levels for all three subjects. Similarly, time spent on homework was a significant predictor of academic progress in the core subjects. For English and science, the relationship between time spent on homework and academic progress followed an incremental gradation up to 2-3 hours. Spending more than 3 hours on homework did not offer extra benefits for progress in English and science. The highest benefit of studying for 2-3 hours was found for maths (ESOrig=0.84;
ESImputed=0.59), followed by English (ESOrig=0.76; ESImputed=0.60) and finally for science (ESOrig=0.69;
ESImputed=0.47). Studying for more than 3 hours significantly predicted better progress in English
and maths, but only for the original data.
Table 5.33: Contextualised Value Added Models for English Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Time Spent on Homework (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 English TA Original Data
Year 9 English TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 2341 2632
Number of schools 518 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Time Spent on Homework (compared to none)
Less than ½ hour 0.24 0.09 0.39 * 0.16 0.08 0.25 * ½-1 hour 0.23 0.08 0.36 * 0.19 0.07 0.29 * 1-2 hours 0.26 0.09 0.42 * 0.23 0.08 0.35 * 2-3 hours 0.48 0.11 0.76 * 0.39 0.11 0.60 * Over 3 hours 0.46 0.21 0.74 * 0.32 0.19 0.50
Missing 0.09 0.08 0.15
% Reduction school variance 89% 90%
% Reduction student variance 56% 52%
% Reduction total variance 64% 62% * p <0.05
Table 5.34: Contextualised Value Added Model for Maths Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Time Spent on Homework (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Maths TA Original Data
Year 9 Maths TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 2384 2632
Number of schools 522 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Time Spent on Homework (compared to none)
Less than ½ hour 0.21 0.09 0.31 * 0.12 0.09 0.17 ½-1 hour 0.30 0.09 0.44 * 0.23 0.10 0.32 * 1-2 hours 0.36 0.09 0.53 * 0.29 0.10 0.41 * 2-3 hours 0.58 0.12 0.84 * 0.42 0.14 0.59 * Over 3 hours 0.70 0.23 1.03 * 0.53 0.26 0.74
Missing 0.15 0.09 0.21
% Reduction school variance 88% 90%
% Reduction student variance 71% 67%
% Reduction total variance 74% 72% * p <0.05
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Table 5.35: Contextualised Value Added Models for Science Teacher Assessment Levels in Year 9: Time Spent on Homework (Original Data vs. Imputed Data)
Year 9 Science TA Original Data
Year 9 Science TA Imputed Data STATA ICE
Number of students 2350 2632
Number of schools 520 567
Fixed Effects Coef SE ES Sig Coef SE ES Sig
Time Spent on Homework (compared to none)
Less than ½ hour 0.17 0.10 0.24 0.10 0.10 0.14 ½-1 hour 0.21 0.09 0.30 * 0.15 0.10 0.21 1-2 hours 0.28 0.09 0.39 * 0.21 0.12 0.29 2-3 hours 0.49 0.13 0.69 * 0.34 0.13 0.47 * Over 3 hours 0.29 0.24 0.42 0.25 0.26 0.34
Missing 0.06 0.09 0.09
% Reduction school variance 92% 91%
% Reduction student variance 50% 47%
% Reduction total variance 60% 57% * p <0.05
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